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Viewing cable 07TOKYO3812, DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 08/17/07

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07TOKYO3812 2007-08-17 08:23 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tokyo
VZCZCXRO2816
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3812/01 2290823
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170823Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6598
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA//J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5057
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 2632
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 6248
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1656
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3388
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8452
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4517
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 5473
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 003812 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 08/17/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
(1) Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law: GOJ in defense mode against 
the "Ozawa doctrine"; Little room for compromise in understanding UN 
resolution 
 
(2) DPJ's opposition to extending Anti-Terrorist Special Measures 
Law increases level of danger for GSDF troops 3 
(3) Analysis of war on terror, based on UN resolutions adopted since 
Sept. 11 terror attacks 
 
(4) Studies of DPJ: Criticism of Ozawa now quiet; Increasing unity 
with eye political change 
 
(5) Koike, Moriya to share pain: Final settlement on replacement of 
vice defense minister to be reached as early as this afternoon; 
Names of third candidates floated 
 
(6) State of US beef consumption after import resumption 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, August 16 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law: GOJ in defense mode against 
the "Ozawa doctrine"; Little room for compromise in understanding UN 
resolution 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
August 17, 2007 
 
The extension of the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law, which is 
set to expire on November 1, will be the main focus of the fall 
extraordinary Diet session. Democratic Party of Japan President 
Ichiro Ozawa has expressed his opposition to an extension of the law 
based on his reasoning that there is no UN Security Council 
resolution to support the war in Afghanistan. He plans to force the 
government to change its policy on the issue. The ruling party and 
the government are on the defensive, pointing out that Japan's 
support of the international war on terrorism is highly valued, as 
they try to combat Ozawa's position. It seems that Diet discussions 
will be a battle between Ozawa's "principles" and the LDP's 
"achievements." 
 
"There is no (UN) Security Council resolution directly authorizing 
the actions (of the US military and others)." In a meeting with US 
Ambassador to Japan Schieffer on August 8, Ozawa expressed his 
doubts this way about the interpretation of the UN Security Council 
resolution, which the Japanese government uses as justification for 
sending Maritime Self-Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean to assist 
in refueling operations. 
 
The Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has been in the Indian Ocean 
assisting the US Navy since November 2001. The MSDF is a part of 
efforts to prevent the flow of terrorism-related materials from 
being transported by sea. This operation is connected with the US 
forces-centered Operation Enduring Freedom (OED), which is focused 
on mop-up operations against terrorists in Afghanistan. 
 
TOKYO 00003812  002 OF 010 
 
 
 
The GOJ cites UN Security Resolution 1368, passed soon after the 
9/11 terrorist attacks, as the basis for its actions. The resolution 
calls on the international community to "redouble their efforts to 
prevent and suppress terrorist acts including by increased 
cooperation." (text taken from UN Security Resolution 1368 
http://www.un.org/Docs/scres/2001/sc2001.htm) 
 
However Ozawa takes issue with the fact that OEF was not 
specifically mentioned in the resolution. He insists that the 
actions of either the US forces or the Self-Defense Forces cannot be 
condoned. Ambassador Schieffer countered Ozawa by citing UN Security 
Council Resolution 1746, passed in March 2007. This resolution 
clearly mentions OEF, calling on "the Afghan Government, with the 
assistance of the international community, including the 
International Security Assistance Force and Operation Enduring 
Freedom coalition....to continue to address the threat to the 
security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban (and) 
Al-Qaeda." (text taken from UN Security Council Resolution 1746 
http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc resolutions07.htm) 
 
Meanwhile, Ozawa showed some flexibility in his reference to the 
ISAF, created in December 2001 as a result of UN Security Council 
Resolution 1386, saying: "(The ISAF) was given the same attributes 
as peacekeeping operations (PKO) and was directly authorized (by the 
UNSC)." 
 
Ozawa has always asserted that the SDF's participation in 
peacekeeping operations should be limited to UN operations. However, 
the actions of the ISAF differ from those of a traditional PKO. In 
the southern part (of Afghanistan), in particular, where the 
situation is quite bad, the ISAF is basically engaged in combat 
operations. 
 
(2) DPJ's opposition to extending Anti-Terrorist Special Measures 
Law increases level of danger for GSDF troops 
 
Foresight  (Page 29) (Full) 
September 2007 
 
With Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa's hardening of 
his stance opposing the extension of the Anti-Terrorist Special 
Measures Law that expires on Nov. 1, concern is growing inside the 
Defense Ministry that it could lead to casualties among Ground 
Self-Defense Force troops. The Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law 
has already been extended three times, and the Maritime Self Defense 
Force (MSDF) is now in its sixth year of providing ship-to-ship 
refueling service in the Indian Ocean. But the DPJ has consistently 
been against the law and its extensions right from the start. This 
time, it is inevitable that the bill will be rejected in the 
DPJ-controlled Upper House. Although the ruling parties have more 
than the two-thirds vote necessary in the Lower House to override 
the Upper House's rejection, no one knows whether it can actually do 
so in the fall session of the Diet. 
 
Then why are ministry officials talking about casualties in the GSDF 
if the law expires? A senior Defense Ministry official explained: 
 
"The overseas operations of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) rest on 
two pillars of support for the United States: air transport by the 
Air Self-Defense Forces (ASDF) in Iraq; and the MSDF dispatch to the 
Indian Ocean. If one of these efforts disappears, the US will not 
 
TOKYO 00003812  003 OF 010 
 
 
take it quietly. It will bring up again the possibility of 
dispatching GSDF troops to Afghanistan, a request it had made in the 
past." 
 
The dispatch of the GSDF troops to Afghanistan was considered by the 
government prior to their being sent to Iraq. The dispatch was 
withdrawn because under the current weapons-use criteria, they would 
not be able to respond (if attacked). The same official said: "In 
January this year, Prime Minister Abe during his European trip 
expressed a desire to send the SDF to Afghanistan. The US and 
European countries took this as an international commitment. If the 
dispatch to the Indian Ocean ends, a request to send the troops to 
Afghan would likely follow."  The official continued, "If 
Afghanistan proves to be impossible, then another choice would be 
offered, sending troops for peacekeeping operations (PKO) to Darfur 
in the Sudan." 
 
Afghanistan, where NATO units have the lead, is a dangerous region, 
where the number of battle casualties rivals that of Iraq. The 
official continued: "The penalty for withdrawing from the Indian 
Ocean will be the dispatching of the GSDF to a dangerous zone. There 
have been no casualties for the SDF overseas for the past 15 years, 
but that would end." 
 
(3) Analysis of war on terror, based on UN resolutions adopted since 
Sept. 11 terror attacks 
 
YOMIURI (Page 11) (Excerpts) 
August 16, 2007 
 
By Hidemichi Katsumata, editorial board member 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa has expressed his 
opposition to the government's plan to extend the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures law, claiming: "The United States initiated the war 
on terrorism without obtaining consensus from the international 
community." Using as reference the UN resolutions adopted since the 
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US in 2001, this article examines 
if the ongoing war on terrorism in Afghanistan is a US war or a war 
authorized by the United Nations or the international community. 
 
International community supports US-led war 
 
Period between the 9-11 and the start of air offensive by the US and 
Britain on Afghanistan (Oct. 7) 
 
Following the terrorist attacks on the US, which killed about 3,000 
persons from about 60 countries, US President Bush decided to launch 
retaliatory attacks on Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist group, 
and the Taliban government in Afghanistan supporting Al-Qaeda. The 
US launched the air offensive on the basis of the right to 
individual self-defense provided for in Article 51 of the UN 
Charter. 
 
The US worked on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a 
resolution criticizing the act of terror. In response, the UNSC 
unanimously adopted resolution 1368 on Sept. 12. The resolution 
specified the council's readiness to take all necessary steps to 
fight against threats to international peace and security. It also 
allowed the use of the right to self-defense and the right to 
collective self-defense. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003812  004 OF 010 
 
 
In order to build an international coalition against terrorism, the 
US judged it necessary to obtain the "banner of the UN." Although 
the resolution adopted when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 authorized 
all UN members to take every possible step, resolution 1368 left 
vague who are allowed to take all steps, so the common view is that 
only the US is allowed to use the right to self-defense. 
 
Upon holding an emergency summit meeting on Sept. 21, the European 
Union (EU) announced a statement noting: "The EU members are ready 
to work out antiterrorism measures, including military assistance." 
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Australia, New 
Zealand, the US Security Treaty (ANZUS), and the Organization of 
American States (OAS) - composed of the US, Canada, and Latin 
American countries - also decided to invoke the right to collective 
self-defense if the US made the request. 
 
The US obtained approval from Russia and China. The US then, in 
cooperation with Britain, launched an air offensive (Operation 
Enduring Freedom - OEF) on Oct. 7 against Afghanistan, based on the 
right to collective self-defense. The US reported to the UNSC 
chairman the same day on the start of military operations based on 
the right to self-defense. 
 
Looking back over the 26 days from the 9-11 attacks through the 
start of the air strike, the US chose the right of self-defense out 
of the two means to enable it to use armed force under international 
law. Although the UNSC did not order the US to organize a 
multinational force, the UN and the international community 
supported the US choice in actuality. 
 
On Sept. 12, the French newspaper Le Monde gave this prominent 
headline to the 9-11: "We are all Americans." Many countries, 
including those critical of US diplomacy, were shocked at the act of 
terror, and they could not treat the incident as being nothing to do 
with them. Although the war against Afghanistan was initiated under 
the lead of the US, the US took no unilateral action, unlike the 
case of the Iraq war. 
 
UN adopts resolutions in succession to maintain security in 
Afghanistan 
 
Period between the start of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and 
today 
 
The Taliban government collapsed about two months after the air raid 
by the US and Britain. But Osama bin Laden, the ringleader of the 
9-11 attacks on the US, has yet to be captured. With terrorist 
threats still existing, the Coalition of Willing - composed of 
troops from the US, Britain, France and other countries - is still 
engaged in operations to capture terrorists and their stronghold in 
Afghanistan. Maritime Interdiction Operations based on the OEF are 
going on in the Indian Ocean, joined by the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force (SDF). 
 
Besides the efforts to eradicate terrorists, the UN adopted a 
resolution in December 2001 calling for dispatching an international 
security-assistance force (ISAF) composed of about 5,000 persons to 
Kabul to maintain security in its vicinity. In October 2003, the UN 
adopted a resolution to expand the area covered by ISAF activities 
to include the entire land of Afghanistan. 
 
The UN also adopted resolutions 1707 and 1746 last September and 
 
TOKYO 00003812  005 OF 010 
 
 
this March, respectively. These resolutions call on the members of 
the Coalition of Willing joining the OEF to train the new Afghan 
national force in cooperation with the ISAF. They also specify the 
necessity of overall support from the international community, 
including the member countries of ISAF and OEF, to the Afghan 
government. 
 
The OEF, which was launched with the US exercising its right to 
self-defense, can be labeled, in the UN-authorized war on terror, as 
important as ISAF activities based on a UN resolution. The war on 
terror is going on, taking a stronger tinge of international 
cooperation, that is, collective security as aimed at by the UN. As 
long as terrorist threats are not removed, the war on terror must be 
continued. 
 
France and Germany have taken part in both the military operations 
of the OEF and the ISAF, although they opposed the opening of the 
Iraq war. Though this is cynical for the US, the international 
community has supported the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a quite 
contrary case to the Iraq war. 
 
(4) Studies of DPJ: Criticism of Ozawa now quiet; Increasing unity 
with eye political change 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 16, 2007 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ) will cerebrate next 
April the 10th anniversary of its founding. With political change 
finally on the horizon, the unity of the DPJ members has 
strengthened even more under the leadership of Ozawa. No party 
members now have doubts about Ozawa's policy stance of going up 
against the ruling coalition, forming a united front with other 
opposition parties, and placing emphasis on regional economies. How 
far will the solidarity continue? No one is now talking about 
candidates to replace Ozawa. 
 
"I don't want you to worry because I have said what I should say to 
the appropriate person," said former President Seiji Maehara in a 
party on the night of Aug. 7 of the Ryoun-kai, a group made of about 
30 members. Maehara was talking about the distinction of his policy 
from that of Ozawa regarding the question of whether to extend the 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, which is set to expire on Nov. 
ΒΆ1. 
 
Ozawa has expressed his opposition to the extension of the law, but 
Maehara, who is regarded as an active leader of the anti-Ozawa 
force, has advocated that the law should be extended. There was a 
rumor in the largest opposition party that Maehara might break away 
from Ozawa since the two have totally different views on national 
security. Maehara apparently tried to dispel the rumor by his 
speech. 
 
In early this month, Maehara secretly called at Ozawa's office in 
the Lower House members' office building, and exchanged views with 
him for about 30 minutes. Maehara urged the party head to carry out 
sufficient discussion in the party. Since Ozawa expressed his 
understanding, Maehara reportedly accepted Ozawa's policy of 
opposing the extension of the law. 
 
The DPJ was formed in April 1998 by the merger of the former DPJ 
founded by Naoto Kan and Yukio Hatoyama of the Sakigake Party and 
 
TOKYO 00003812  006 OF 010 
 
 
Takahiro Yokomichi of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, Minseito 
(Good Governance Party), Shinto Yuai (New Fraternity Party), and the 
Democratic Reform League. In 2003, the Liberal Party headed by Ozawa 
joined the DPJ. There are several groups in the party, but they are 
not like factions in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). A 
number of DPJ lawmakers belong to more than one group. However, 
there are constant intergenerational and policy conflicts. 
 
At a Japanese style pub on the night of Aug. 9, Yoshihiko Noda, who 
has distanced himself from Ozawa, told about 30 followers: "We 
should fulfill our individual roles under the lead of President 
Ozawa so that we will grab the reins of government." They have 
agreed to let Ozawa head the party until the next House of 
Representatives election. 
 
Moves in the DPJ over the "post-Ozawa" issue will be quiet for the 
time being. In the July Upper House election, former President 
Katsuya Okawa, who is expected to become a successor to Ozawa, 
"delivered campaign speeches across the nation for candidates as he 
did so when he headed the party," his office said. Through his 
campaign trail of speeches for the Upper House race, Maehara urged 
new-face candidates to join his group, but he did no more than that. 
A veteran lawmaker said positively: "They know how party members see 
them. They have ambitions. They would openly take actions after the 
next Lower House election." If the possibility of political change 
moves closer to reality, differences in their views on individual 
policy issues might be brought to light. They will visit Busan in 
South Korea later this month to attend a forum sponsored by a 
private organization. 
 
(5) Koike, Moriya to share pain: Final settlement on replacement of 
vice defense minister to be reached as early as this afternoon; 
Names of third candidates floated 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
Evening, August 17, 2007 
 
The government has decided to hold a meeting of the cabinet council 
personnel affairs review council as early as this afternoon to have 
it discuss the replacement of the vice defense minister, an issue 
over which there has been a continuing uproar, and reach a final 
settlement. The government will approve the resignation of Vice 
Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, but will not allow Chief of 
Secretariat Tetsuya Nishikawa, who hails from the National Police 
 
SIPDIS 
Agency, to be promoted to vice minister -- both of which have been 
called for by Koike. The government will also forgo the idea of 
promoting a home-bred Shinshiro Yamazaki, director general of the 
Bureau of Defense Operations Planning, who has spent his enter 
career at the Defense Ministry, to vice defense minister as 
recommended by Moriya. 
 
The government had intended to get the situation taken care of by 
having a new defense minister appoint a new vice defense minister 
after a cabinet reshuffle on Aug. 27. However, it has decided to 
settle the issue at an early date out of concern that the Abe 
administrations power base could further decline, if the furor 
continues. The names of Kohei Masuda, director general of the Bureau 
of Personnel and Education, and Iwao Kitahara, director general of 
the Defense Facilities Administration Agency, have been floated as a 
possible successor to Moriya. 
 
The defense minister has tried to have the replacement of Vice 
 
TOKYO 00003812  007 OF 010 
 
 
Defense Minister Moriya, who has been in the post for more than four 
years, decided at a cabinet meeting on August 15. However, she did 
not obtain approval from Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, a member 
of the cabinet meeting personnel affairs review council. She also 
did not inform Moriya of her decision to replace him, either. 
 
It was decided in 1979 that personnel changes concerning senior 
ministry and agency officials must be approved by the cabinet 
meeting personnel affairs review council consisting of the chief 
cabinet secretary and three deputy chief cabinet secretaries from 
the perspective of ensuring politically-guided personnel selections. 
Shiozaki and other government officials, therefore, fiercely opposed 
Koike's move. Moriya opposed the promotion of Nishikawa, who hails 
from the National Police Agency, citing the reason that 
deliberations on the bill amending the Antiterrorism Special 
Measures Law aimed at extending Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
refueling operations in the Indian Ocean are to take place in the 
fall extraordinary Diet session. The furor has been continuing with 
Moriya rejecting the formal submission of a proposal for replacing 
himself and promoting Nishikawa to the prime minister's official 
residence (Kantei). 
 
(6) State of US beef consumption after import resumption 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 7) (Full) 
August 16, 2007 
 
The decision to resume imports of US beef was made at the end of 
July last year. A year has passed since the arrival of the first 
shipment in early August that year. Leading retailers at first took 
a wait-and-see attitude due to consumer distrust, but they now at 
last have begun to sell the meat on a full scale. Imports are 
gradually recovering. 
 
Recovery: High cost hampering imports from increasing 
 
After hovering around 2,000 tons a month since last October, US beef 
imports as of June this year now exceed 4,000 tons a month. Import 
amounts reached 4,577 tons in July, indicating a recovery trend. 
 
The increase is attributable to this being the high-demand season 
for barbecue meat and the like. In addition, the all-box inspection 
requirement to ensure that shipments had no specified risk materials 
(SRM) was abolished. 
 
The US Meat Export Federation is optimistic, with one official 
saying, "Our aim is to export 40,000 tons this year." 
 
However, some Japanese trading house sources are still negative, 
noting that the price of US beef is 1.5-2.5 times higher than the 
pre-ban level. The reason is owing to the extra cost needed to 
comply with the import condition that only beef from cattle aged 20 
months or younger is eligible for export to Japan. It is unlikely 
that US beef imports will increase steadily unless such an import 
condition is eased. 
 
Sales: Stores dealing with US beef gradually increasing 
 
For awhile after imports were resumed, only a limited number of 
medium-size supermarkets and barbecue restaurants were featuring US 
beef. Now, however, an increasing number of leading supermarket 
chains are beginning to sell the US product. 
 
TOKYO 00003812  008 OF 010 
 
 
 
Seiyu started selling US beef at some of its outlets in March. The 
prices are 30% -50%  lower than domestic products. Since it received 
a good customer response and the meat sold better than expected, 
Seiyu has gradually increased the number of outlets handling US 
beef. Three hundred and seventy-nine stores or almost all of its 
outlets started selling the US product on August 10. 
 
Ito-Yokado started selling at its 20 outlets in the Tokyo 
metropolitan area in June. A company spokesman said, "Though you 
cannot say that consumer anxieties have been completely wiped away, 
US beef fans are gradually increasing." All of its 175 outlets 
started dealing with US beef early this month. 
 
Apita-Uny started test-sales of US beef in June. Now all of its 
outlets deal with the US product. Daiei has decided to resume sales 
of US beef on a once a month basis for the time being, starting on 
Aug. 18. 
 
Among restaurant chains, Yoshinoya D&C started serving beef-bowls in 
September last year on a limited basis. It extended the beef-bowl 
serving time to 13 hours from 11:00 to 24:00. As a result, customer 
volume increased 30%. 
 
In the meantime, many supermarket and restaurant chains are cautious 
about selling US meat with an Aeon executive noting, "We give first 
consideration to our customers. We have no plan to handle US beef 
for the time being." 
 
Easing of condition: Consumer distrust deep-seated 
 
Though imports show an uptrend, the volume is a long way from 
reaching the 200,000- ton level that existed before the total ban 
that was imposed following the discovery of one BSE-infected cow in 
the US in 2003. The US government has cited harsh import conditions 
set by Japan as the main reason for the slow increase in beef 
imports. It is mounting pressure on Japan to ease its import 
conditions. 
 
In order to move toward easing the restriction, the two governments 
held technical talks in June and August. 
 
The US has called on Japan to scrap import conditions that include 
such criteria as the age of the cattle. It presented the data used 
by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) when it recognized 
the US this May as a country that can export beef regardless of 
cattle age. 
 
Japan will decide whether to ease that condition before the end of 
this month at the earliest and enter talks with the US. The 
government will then consult with the Cabinet Offices' Food Safety 
Commission and reach a final judgment on the propriety of easing the 
condition. 
 
However, there remains deep-seated distrust toward US beef among 
consumers as a result of the discovery of SRMS in US beef shipments 
due to human error. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and 
Fisheries noted that it would be necessary to obtain understanding 
from consumers through briefings and other efforts, when the 
government decides to ease the condition. 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
TOKYO 00003812  009 OF 010 
 
 
 
Asahi, Mainichi & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Temperatures hit record 40.9C in Saitama, Gifu, marking highest ever 
in 74 years of record keeping 
 
Yomiuri: 
Education panel to propose enhancing students' language skills 
 
Nikkei: 
Mitsukoshi, Isetan to merge next spring into nation's largest 
department store 
 
Sankei: 
DPJ asks for bureaucrats' cooperation on policymaking, representing 
eagerness and uneasiness 
 
Akahata: 
National education gathering starts in Hiroshima 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Employ every means to protect the body from heat waves 
(2) Government should set standards to determine level of 
quake-caused damage 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Inability to settle feud over vice defense minister's post shows 
weakness of government 
(2) Don't use lenient precedent in punishing drug-use cases in 
baseball world 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Is the Defense Ministry able to deal with a national emergency? 
(2) Ishiya betrayed customers' trust by falsifying sell-by dates for 
popular chocolate product 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Falling stock prices across world exposing problems hidden in 
financial system 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Feud in Defense Ministry over personnel appointment must be 
stopped quickly 
(2) We expect IAEA report to work to expel rumors about radiation 
leaks 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) We must take the torrential heat this summer as a warning 
(2) Government urged to review guidelines on safety of nuclear power 
plants 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Uncertainty over global stock markets: Some measures needed to 
prevent speculative activities 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, August 16 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 17, 2007 
 
09:31 
 
TOKYO 00003812  010 OF 010 
 
 
Met at Kantei with LDP Policy Research Council Senior Deputy 
Chairman Kawamura, followed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Matoba. 
 
10:26 
Met with deputy chief cabinet secretaries Shimomura and Suzuki and 
Special Prime Ministerial Advisor Seko, joined later by Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. 
 
12:56 
Met with Matoba. 
 
13:43 
Met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka and Southeast and 
Southwest Asian Affairs Department Director General Atsumi, attended 
by Shimomura. 
 
15:16 
Met Niigata Prefecture Association Chairman Tadashi Takahashi, 
joined by Seko. 
 
18:46 
Dined with secretaries at the Japanese restaurant "Unkai" in the ANA 
Continental Hotel Tokyo. 
 
20:42 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
MESERVE